Peeves

A few weeks after Marty and I first met, we each made a list of our pet peeves. I remember him saying I had quite a few. Nine years later, my list is updated.

Peeves:

-Lack of table manners; people who chew with their mouth full, wolf the food down like a starved dog, don't even notice the food spilled on their shirt and most of all...the sound of slurping or mouth smacking noises drives me absolutely crazy to the point where I need to leave the table to get away from the sounds. Marty is a very polite dinner partner with very good table manners, which is one of the many things I love about him.

-People who talk on their cell phone while driving. Too many times I have been cut off or tailgated by a driver who had the phone glued to their ear. Marty's accident a few years ago when his truck was totaled and almost pushed over the side of the Narrows Bridge into the water hundreds of feet below was caused by someone driving while talking on her phone. She hit Marty, flipped his truck upside down, sent it spinning out of control and she kept driving across the bridge as if nothing happened...probably telling her caller "Oh my goodness, I need to hang up now. I think maybe I hit someone. I'll call you later to make plans for our meeting at Starbucks. Damn, that truck in my way just totally put me behind schedule". As a side note: the witnesses and State Patrol officers were very surprised that Marty was actually alive and suffered no injuries.

-Answering the phone and the caller hangs up.

-Answering the phone and hearing a recording say, "Please hold the line until one of our representatives can respond." They called me and I am expected to hold to find out what the call is about?! NOT!

-People who aren't prepared when it is their turn at the check out lines. The clerk is ringing up your purchases, start filling out your check. And criminies, don't stand there balancing your check book. Get the f**k out of the way and stop holding up the rest of us.

-People who use the drive-in windows at fast food places and make speciality orders. If you have a big order, go inside. If you have multiple sandwiches with special instructions; one with extra cheese, one with no cheese, one with no onions, one with bacon, get the hell out of the drive through and walk the few short steps inside. And when you get your order from the drive-through window, don't sit there checking everything. Pull into the stand-by area and check your order. Let the rest of us with a simple Happy Meal order get served quickly, as "fast food" implies.

-People who don't spay/neuter their pets. Some people want their children to see the joy of birth. Buy a video. How many pets feel comfortable during the birth process while kids are hanging around touching the pet and screaming "Here it comes, oh how gross, hey is that a baby?!!" And then you have kittens and puppies who need to find a home. You have contributed to pet overpopulation.

-People who have no common sense. The dog at the clinic is marked "Caution, Will Bite". Why would Mabeline fling the kennel door wide open and rush towards the dog to give him his pill? Answer: she has no common sense.

-Ordering fish and chips or a hamburger with fries and receiving no fork. Same with pizza. Why is it assumed you want to eat with your fingers? Give me a fork please.

I have many peeves. The bulk of them are based on the stupidity, lack of insight and selfishness of people. No wonder I hate grocery shopping, answering the phone and anything where I have to deal with the general population of humans.